Online reviews have become an essential part of the customer journey, with over 90% of people reading reviews before visiting a local business. Reviews provide social proof of a business’s quality and help customers evaluate products, services, and experiences before making a purchase decision. For local businesses specifically, positive online reviews lead to increased visibility, more website traffic, improved local SEO rankings, and higher conversion rates.
One of the most influential review platforms for local businesses is Yelp. With over 192 million monthly visitors, Yelp has become a go-to site for customers to research and discover new local businesses. This article will provide tips and strategies for local business owners on how to get more positive reviews on Yelp in order to boost their online reputation and attract more customers.
Why Positive Yelp Reviews Matter
Positive reviews on Yelp are incredibly valuable for local businesses. They can have a major impact on a business’s visibility, reputation, and ability to attract new customers.
Here are some of the key reasons why positive Yelp reviews are so important:
Increase Visibility and Search Ranking
Yelp reviews factor into search engine rankings, so more positive reviews can help a business show up higher in local search results. This leads to increased visibility and website traffic. According to one source, businesses with at least four stars on Yelp get five times as many clicks from search engines.
Build Credibility and Trust
Reviews from real customers help establish credibility and trust with potential new customers. Over 80% of people trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. Positive reviews reassure customers that others have had a good experience.
Encourage New Customers to Visit
With more positive reviews, a business appears more desirable and enticing to prospective customers browsing options online. One study found that a 5-star rating on Yelp leads to a 9% increase in revenue on average.
Improve Overall Online Reputation
More positive reviews dilute the impact of any negative reviews, improving a business’s overall online reputation. Nearly 90% of unhappy customers will not return after a bad experience, so positive reviews help mitigate this risk.
In summary, quality positive reviews are invaluable for local businesses. They can dramatically amplify a business’s reach and resonate strongly with today’s savvy, review-oriented consumers.
What Makes a Yelp Review Positive
There are several key factors that set great positive reviews on Yelp apart from average ones. Some best practices for writing stellar positive Yelp reviews include:
High ratings (4 or 5 stars)—The most obvious sign of a positive review is a high star rating. Reviews with 4 or 5 star ratings tend to have an enthusiastic, praising tone and highlight the best aspects of a business.
Good photos/videos—Positive reviews often contain visual content like photos or videos that give readers a glimpse into the reviewer’s experience. This provides social proof and shows they truly visited the business.
Useful details about experience—Providing details, context, and specifics about what made the experience positive demonstrates first-hand knowledge. This gives the review authenticity.
Constructive feedback—Even in positive reviews, including some constructive criticism or areas for improvement shows a balanced, honest perspective. This gives the review more credibility.
Praise for staff/service/quality—Positive reviews emphasize what the business does well, like praising friendly staff, prompt service, product quality, or unique offerings. This gives potential customers confidence.
The best positive Yelp reviews highlight your genuine experience and useful details for other consumers, without exaggeration or manipulation.
Examples of Great Positive Yelp Reviews
Positive Yelp reviews often highlight specific details about a customer’s great experience at a local business. Here are some examples of stellar reviews.
Reviews with details about positive experience:
“I had an amazing meal at this restaurant last night. The server was attentive and helped guide me through the menu. She recommended the salmon, which was cooked perfectly and melted in my mouth. The sides were creative and tasty as well. The atmosphere was lively but not too noisy. Overall, a 5-star dining experience!”
Reviews highlighting excellent customer service:
“The customer service at this boutique is exceptional. The sales associate helped me find several outfits that fit my style and budget. She was patient, offered thoughtful suggestions, and made sure I was happy with my purchases. I never felt pressured or rushed. I’ll definitely be back!”
Reviews praising quality of products/services:
“I brought my car to this auto shop because it was having issues. They were able to diagnose and fix the problem quickly and at a fair price. The mechanics took time to explain what was wrong and made sure I understood the repair process. My car runs great now thanks to their top-notch service.”
Reviews showing the personality/uniqueness of a business:
“This coffee shop has such a cool, funky vibe. The baristas are friendly and talented, making amazing foam art with the lattes. The walls are lined with work from local artists. They play great music, and there are fun board games you can play while you sip your drink. An all-around great neighborhood spot!”
How to Respond to Positive Yelp Reviews
Responding to positive reviews is just as important as responding to negative ones. Here are some tips for properly thanking customers and encouraging more positive feedback:
Thank the customer publicly—Be sure to call out the reviewer by name and say thanks for taking the time to leave feedback. This shows customers you’re paying attention.
Highlight specific praise from the review—Quote or paraphrase the positive feedback so the customer knows you read their review closely. Repeat the details that made them happy.
Offer a discount or incentive to return—Let happy customers know you appreciate their business by offering a coupon or promo code for their next visit. This encourages repeat business.
Invite them to leave reviews on other sites—Politely ask satisfied customers to leave feedback on Google, Facebook, etc. to help grow your online presence.
Proactively Getting More Positive Yelp Reviews
Beyond responding to reviews, businesses should also focus on proactively generating more positive reviews. There are several strategies businesses can use to encourage happy customers to leave positive feedback on Yelp.
The most direct approach is to simply ask satisfied customers to write a review after they’ve had a positive experience. This can be done by staffers in-person or via email/text follow-ups. Providing a direct link to your Yelp page makes it easy for customers to leave feedback. According to Sprout Social, “The easiest way to get more reviews is to ask for them.”
You should also develop an overall review generation strategy, with regular reminders and calls-to-action across your marketing channels. For example, include a link to your Yelp page in your email newsletter or website. The more touch points, the better.
Make the review process as seamless as possible for customers. The fewer barriers, the more reviews you’ll generate. Allow review submissions via SMS text, your website, and social media. Integrate review generation tools into your POS system. The easier you make it, the more reviews you’ll get.
Finally, run special promotions to incentivize customers to leave Yelp reviews. For example, offer a discount code or free gift to anyone who shows they left a review. Contests, giveaways, and sweepstakes that require leaving a review are also great motivators.
Avoiding Review Manipulation
While it’s tempting to try to game the system to get more positive reviews, engaging in review manipulation can seriously backfire. Yelp has sophisticated algorithms and moderators to detect suspicious activity and inauthentic reviews. Getting caught trying to fake or incentivize reviews could get you penalized or banned from the platform.
According to Yelp’s 2019 Consumer Alert report, the company put consumer alerts on pages that showed evidence of review manipulation. Yelp is committed to providing authentic information to consumers, so they frown upon any attempt to mislead.
Here are some tips to avoid engaging in shady review tactics:
- Don’t offer incentives like discounts or free products solely in exchange for reviews. Yelp specifically prohibits this.
- Make sure reviews represent genuine customer experiences, not paid or fabricated content.
- Monitor your review patterns for suspicious activity like bulk posts from new accounts.
- Respond professionally to negative reviews instead of trying to hide them.
- Build strong customer relationships to earn reviews through great service.
While positive reviews are invaluable, they should come organically from delighted customers. With patience and consistently great business practices, you can earn those 5-star Yelp reviews, fair and square.
Responding to Negative Reviews
Negative reviews on Yelp can feel discouraging, but responding properly provides an opportunity to turn dissatisfied customers into loyal ones. The key is to avoid defensiveness and instead apologize sincerely, address issues professionally, and show appreciation for the feedback.
When responding to a negative review on Yelp:
- Apologize sincerely without making excuses. Say something like, “I’m very sorry we let you down. You deserve better.”
- Avoid defensiveness. Don’t contradict their experience or try to explain away issues.
- Offer to make amends, if applicable. For example, “Please let me know if there’s anything I can do to make this right.”
- Thank them for taking the time to leave feedback. “Your review helps us improve. We appreciate you sharing your experience.”
- Address the review publicly by replying on Yelp. This shows you take all feedback seriously.
The key is addressing reviews professionally and aiming to resolve, not argue. With empathy and sincerity, negative feedback can become positive over time.
Optimizing Your Yelp Business Page
Your Yelp business page serves as your online storefront, so optimizing it should be a priority. Here are some tips for making your page stand out and attract more customers:
Complete your page fully—Fill out all sections including hours, description, photos, attributes, etc. The more complete your page, the more it shows customers you care.
Add photos and videos—Visual content brings your page to life. Post high-quality photos of your business, products, services, and staff. Consider posting video walkthroughs too.
Promote special offers/events—Highlight limited-time sales or events on your page to give customers incentive to visit.
Share updates regularly—Post status updates about new inventory, menu items, services, etc. This shows your business is active and encourages return visits.
Encourage check-ins—Ask satisfied customers to check-in at your location. This helps build social proof.
Optimizing your Yelp page improves visibility and engagement with potential new customers in your area. Take advantage of all the features Yelp offers to showcase your business.
Conclusion
Positive reviews on Yelp are incredibly valuable for local businesses looking to build credibility, attract new customers, and improve their online reputation. By implementing a few key strategies, business owners can proactively encourage more positive reviews.
First, focus on providing exceptional customer service and creating happy customers who will be eager to leave positive feedback. When you do get positive reviews, be sure to thank the customer publicly and highlight specific praise from their review. You can also offer incentives for existing customers to return and leave reviews.
Having a formal review generation strategy is critical. Identify your happiest customers, and ask them directly to leave honest reviews on Yelp and other sites. Make the review process quick and easy by sending email reminders and review links. Run occasional promotions to spur review writing.
With these tips, local businesses can transform their Yelp presence in a positive way. The more five-star reviews you accumulate, the more you can leverage Yelp to drive real revenue and customer acquisition. Don’t wait—start implementing these review generation strategies now to build up your reputation and stand out from competitors.
